Changing Tides

Lune Island

Lune Island is the center mass of Lune. Although the island is the origin of the vast metropolis, rapid expansion and growth has pushed the boundaries of the city onto the flotilla, Cluster, as well as the East Fork and West Fork – the edges of the peninsula that extend from Akkatish and Vihnis.

The island of Lune lies in the center of the Sea of Mud. This island is a series of rising spires and cliff-sides which manages to stay dry, even during high tide. It was the first island settled by the Regi when they sailed north from the Southern Archipelagos. This island was also the final resting place of the Dwarven Flotilla, which is still moored here to this day, although it has expanded to become part of Cluster.

Lune Island is just over 1 mile in diameter, and a number of its large spires have been flattened and settled on over the years. There are a number of canals that traverse the isle, including a number that have been dug out through larger spires to allow for easy transfer of goods and trade in the city. To the south, a portion of the island which had eroded over time has been reclaimed by Dwarven engineers in recent years.

Visitors to Lune generally first learn the five regions of Lune Island represented in the Assembly. These regions are further divided into districts, which elect Clustermen who align with their interest.

Upper Ring

The Upper Ring region of Lune Island is, perhaps, the wealthiest region, spanning from the Promenade in the east to the Gardens in the west and contains the largest spire on the island. While not the first part of the island settled, the Upper Ring holds the oldest settlements, as many other areas of the island have been rebuilt over time.

The Peak

The Peak is the district atop the the tallest spire, which has been flattened over the years to create additional space for construction. On a clear day, a person in the Old Tower can see from Akkatish to the Saltcliffe Range.

North Banner

The North Banner district was once an upper class area. Its wide streets and numerous parks saw a precipitous decline towards poverty decades ago, coinciding with the decline of House Inizell. House Duccotto merchants have begun buying up older complexes in an effort to breathe new life into the district. The Hallow Pools are, once more, clean, the Floating Gardens safe to stroll.

East Banner

The East Banner district lies to the East of the Peak, on the east-sloping side of the spire. It never suffered from declining wealth, like the North Banner. It has maintained an air of prestige for as long as any human can remember.

Cliffside

The Cliffside district clings to the steep southern slope of the Peak. The area is primarily populated by wealthy and middle-class Mulluns. Upscale apartments and shops have been built into the cliff wall while temples, gardens, and estates hang off the cliff itself in a display of exquisite architecture. Thick stone and wood platforms suspend these hanging buildings.

A single wide thoroughfare winds through the district and up the cliff, ending at a sprawling manor carved into the stone wall. There are few ways into and through Cliffside. As a result, the district sees few travelers and remains relatively uncrowded.

Orchard Borough

The west-most side of the Peak is terraced, with sprawling citrus trees and sweet fruit bushes. This small district is privately owned and closed to the general public. Several large villas dominate its lower reaches.

Notable sites in Orchard Borough:

Ain’ko Steps

The Ain’ko Steps is an upper-class district that borders the Promenade to the east of the Upper Ring. It was built with wealth generated from trade with the western continent. Unlike the open streets in the Ain’ko Promenade below, the streets through the Steps are narrow and winding. Beautiful, terraced apartments line the walkways, making the tight crowds feel even more compact. Some of the best restaurants and shops in the Upper Ring can be found here.

Seda Emporium

The emporium is a center for trade between local merchants and the Northern Freeports. The entire district is enclosed by a massive arching limestone roof, but its support beams are not walled, so the linear building feels open. It is a marvel of architecture made only more marvelous by the wide canal that flows down its center and into the Promenade.

Merchants rent space on either side of the canal while visiting barges and trade cogs float from shop to shop. It is seen as a feat of efficiency to complete all of one’s business in Lune without ever leaving your ship. Few are capable of resisting the allure of the city, however, so most end up disembarking in the North Docks.

Fifth Canal

The Fifth Canal is a district of canals that spread south and west from where the North Docks meets the Seda Emporium. This smaller district has no main roads; travelers traverse the district via gondolas known as Skimmers. The area is, in a way, permanently flooded, although the canals drop substantially during low tides.

Old Banner

The Old Banner district is a husk of its former glory, cast into the shade of the Orchard Borough. The district is the one area of the Upper Ring where the downtrodden are known to squat. Recent talk in the Assembly has been of purchasing and renovating the region, as many in North Banner consider the crumbling stone buildings below them to be an eye sore.

Notable sites in Old Banner:

North Docks

The North Docks lies on the edge of the Upper Ring and serves as the primary docks for ships coming in from the Northern Freeports.

North Warehouse

Promenade

The Promenade region is the focus of trade for most of Lune. At the heart of the network of canals that run throughout the island, most goods will, at least, pass through the Promenade as part of the city’s general economic activity. This region runs from the Upper Ring to the north and west, along the coast that lies across from Cluster. Lower Lune borders the region to the south, as well. Unsurprisingly, the region’s common name

Ain’ko Promenade

The Promenade is a bustling center of trade on a rocky slope between the Ain’ko Steps and Cluster. It is a series of cobblestone terraces lined by great stone buildings. Its wide streets are packed with tents and canvas-topped merchant stalls.

The sights and smells of the Promenade are unlike anywhere else. Colorful jungle creatures squawk and hiss in woven cages, mounds of herbs and spices lie strewn across wooden stands, and cooks sell exotic meats, fruits, and spiced seafood.

This district is a common first stop for traders and visitors once they’ve arrived in Lune, so setting up shop here is potentially lucrative but guaranteed to be expensive. The Ain’ko Bazaar runs this district and holds rights to all its grand buildings and alleys, down to the smallest cobblestone step. Businesses rent space for a premium and kick back a small portion of any profits to the guild.

Correrio

The Correrio district is a smaller merchant district lying to the southeast of the Ain’ko Promenade. Most of the shoppes in this district are dwarven owned. As the Ain’ko Bazaar has grown over the years, it has slowly encroached on Correrio, shrinking this district to a shadow of its former self. Many merchants who formerly owned shoppes in Correrio have either joined the Ain’ko Bazaar or moved their stores into Cluster.

Notable sites in Correrio:

Tasso Canals

These canals, located southwest of the Ain’ko Promenade, below Cliffside, shares its geography with the Fifth Canal. Skimmers are the main form of travel through the district, though a maze of alleyways also cuts through many of the densely packed blocks.

Notable sites in Tasso Canals:

Adet

Adet is the center of Mullun culture in Lune. Adet is, geographically, at the center of the island, with its focal point being the Sunsoul Palace.

Gardens

The Gardens is a series of beautiful districts, with some of the finest horticulture in the city. It houses many public parks and serves as the center for learning on Lune Island. This region spans from the Upper Ring to the west coast of Lune Island and is bordered by Lower Lune to the south.

Staves

Staves is named for the clusters of tall, thin stone formations that dot the district. The entire district sits in a shallow sinkhole on the western-most outcropping of Lune Island. The majority of Gnome immigrants from Gantan settle here, making up the largest concentration of this district’s residents

Notable sites in Staves:

Grand Parks

The Grand Parks district is a series of public and private parks. Its proximity to the Upper Ring ensures that these parks are adequately patrolled, shuffling most of the riff-raff to Lower Lune.

Notable sites in Grand Parks:

Temples

The Temples district houses a number of various temples and shrines to the various dieties worshiped in Lune.

Notable sites in Temples:

Magisters

The Magisters district is comprised primarily of universities, libraries, and other educational centers, including the city’s lone school of magic.

Lower Lune

Lower Lune is the largest region on the island, but it has only two districts. Due to its residents having significantly less wealth than other districts, the region is often overlooked, even though the majority of the island’s laborers live here.

Lower Lune

This district, from which the whole region derives its common name, is a melting pot of cultures, people, residents, merchants, etc. For those unfamiliar with the district, it often appears as a labyrinth of buildings, crowded pathways, and dead ends.

Drifts

The Drifts district is an area on the east side of Lower Lune which slopes down into the Ritten Reef. Often flooded due to the tides, Drifts has few permanent buildings. The majority of its population consists of the poorer residents of the island and the nomadic Halflings that have taken residence in Lune.

Notable sites in Drifts:

Reclaimed

The Reclaimed region is comprised of engineered residential districts, reclaimed by Dwarves and Gnomes, built to the south of Lower Lune. This region is built high enough to remain dry, even during high tide.

Tidewater

Tidewater is the largest middle-class residential district in the Reclaimed region.

Notable sites in Tidewater:

Dwarven Ropes

The Dwarven Ropes is the industrial district to which Cluster is moored and marks the southern edge of the Ritten Reef.